Offguard
by Team-megan
Summary: They always seem to catch each other off guard... KATAANG. After DoBS at Western Air Temple. k  for kissing :


"Katara, is something wrong?"  
I looked up from the water I'd been absentmindedly bending. Aang stood over me, looking concerned. I knew he'd be worried. I hadn't talked to anyone the entire day. I wanted some space. Our little group was getting too big for me, and my thoughts were too confusing for all the noise. I sighed, thinking over his question. In my head? Yes, there was something wrong. But in my heart, I knew the truth. Did I want to tell him about this? Not exactly.  
Lately, I had been feeling like there was no way on earth that I could ever deserve Aang, I mean, he is the Avatar. And I'm…well…nobody. He's so noble and brave, and I'm a coward- scared to lose him and not even strong enough to exact justice on my mother's killer.  
But I want him- I love him and it's killing me right now.  
I finally looked up at him, feeling the tears glistening in my eyes.  
_No, stupid Katara, don't cry- it'll make him feel bad._  
I blinked them away, trying to cover them up as I looked back at my hands, now clenched in the fabric of my skirt.  
He kneeled down to my level.  
"Katara?" he asked, gently placing his hand on my cheek. I reached up and held it there as a few rebellious tears broke through.

"I-I want you to hold me."

This obviously caught him off guard; his hand tensed with his body and I could feel his shocked gaze. I knew it was a selfish thing to ask- and I shouldn't have even asked him, but in my heart I knew this was exactly what I needed. This was the first time we'd been alone together since the Invasion- and that was too long for me. I needed him. I'd been suffocating these past couple days. There was so much tension between us since he kissed me, I couldn't stand it. I wanted his arms wrapped around me- for once, I wanted him to comfort me.  
I could feel his breathing slow from its sudden breakneck pace as he slipped his hand out of my grasp. I didn't meet his eyes. I knew I'd been stupid- why on earth would he ever want to be there for me? After the Invasion- we hadn't even talked about everything he'd laid out on the table that day- all his feelings and the emotions between us.  
I had been avoiding him.  
He knew it.  
I knew it.  
So it surprised me when I suddenly felt his arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer to his half-bare chest, holding me as I'd asked. It took me a second to process that he was fulfilling my request, and when I did, I didn't hesitate to bury myself in his embrace. It always amazed me that he could make me feel so complete, so protected, even with his small frame. I inhaled his scent. He smelled like campfires, and rain, and something else…I couldn't place it, but it was uniquely…Aang. I know, funny how a smell can be associated with a person, but I had missed this. My hands subconsciously clenched the robes he was wearing, holding him closer to me. He obviously sensed the tension, the conflict, within me, and started rubbing my back, trying his best to soothe me. I buried my face in his neck, willing the tears threatening my eyes to stay under control.  
I felt his breath on my ear. I tried to focus on his heartbeat, but my own was pounding erratically in my ears. Why do I always have to react to him this way?

I can't believe Katara asked me to hold her- is she out of her mind? If she is….well, maybe that's a good thing….or maybe not. I can feel her trying to be strong. I don't know why she's crying or if I have anything to do with it, but I know she asked me to be there for her and that's what I'm doing right now. I know we hadn't really talked since the Invasion…and I was missing her. I guess I was just scared, scared she was trying to figure out a nice way to reject me…if that's even possible. But she never ceases to surprise me. Like right now, I never expected her to ask me to hug her. That never crossed my mind as one of her possible replies to my question on her behavior. I was thinking of something more along the lines of "I'm fine" or "It's nothing" or "Go away, you big jerk. You think it's okay to kiss me and run off like that? Well it's not."  
Yeah…that last one was the extreme for me.

I can feel her relaxing now and I exhale, relieved somewhat.

"Aang?"

She's whispering into my shoulder.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"Thank you."

I smile, "No problem."

She sighs and pulls herself out of my arms, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

She chuckles, "Sorry for freaking out on you like that."

I shrug, "It's nothing."

_Actually it IS something. What's up with you? Why were you crying?  
_  
She stands and there's this pang of disappointment in my chest. We should talk- I know we should, but I know we probably won't. She turns to walk back towards our campsite, but she stops midstride and turns back to face me. Now I'm confused…and a little nervous. The look on her face gives me no indication of what's going to happen next.

"We need to talk about something."

_Uh-oh._

_Again, not expecting this. What's with her and catching me off-guard all the time?_

"Uh…okay." I hear myself say.

_Smooth.  
_  
"Aang, I…w-when you kissed me-"  
I cut her off, "I'm sorry."

This obviously threw her off-guard. She looked at me like I was crazy.  
"Why are you sorry? You didn't let me finish," she says, again, her expression completely neutral.  
_Aang's sorry? For kissing me? Of all the nerve!_  
Calm down, Katara, maybe he just feels bad about the Invasion's failure, like he was promising he'd win with that kiss…

"What I was going to say is-"

Come on, spit it out, you can do this.

"I'm glad you did it."

He's stunned now.  
"YOU ARE?" I knew he'd react this way. I caught him off-guard again. I smile.  
"I am." I walk closer to him. He's blushing and I'm so caught up in all of this. I know this may not be a good idea- my logic is screaming in my head at me- but I ignore it. I love him- so who needs more logic than that? I take his hand, "I was scared for you that day. I knew that if you died fighting Ozai and I wasn't there with you to save you, I'd never be able to forgive myself." He watched me, listening with a reserved look on his face. He didn't know where this was going. So I decided to just drop it on him.

"I want you to kiss me again."  
He dropped my hand and his face flushed bright red. He stammered, "W-w-what!"  
I grabbed both of his hands now.  
"You heard me. I want you to kiss me again, and I want to be able to kiss you from now until forever."  
He blushed even redder, if that was possible. He smiled then, and laughed.  
"That may be a problem- I have to face Ozai before the comet- and that would get kind of tiring at some point…and awkward."  
I laughed with him. He always knew how to lighten up the moment. As our laughter died down, his face became more serious.  
"Katara, does this mean-"

"I love you Aang," I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him with as much love as I could. He tensed, then I felt his hands wrap themselves around my waist, pulling me closer. I was so immersed in him. Every smell, every feeling was him. My arms wrapped around his neck, holding him to me.

"Hey, Katara, Aang-"

We pulled back, slightly flustered.

Toph stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest, a smirk on her face.

"I won't tell Sokka…but Zuko did tell me to come get you Aang, apparently there's some new firebending set he remembered you have to learn."  
With that, she walked back to camp, leaving us embarrassed and like usual…caught off-guard.

We both sighed and started back for camp. Aang grabbed my hand before we reached the door, pulling me back.  
"Katara?"  
I looked at him. His eyes were shining in a way I'd never seen before.  
"I love you too."  
For once, I knew he was going to say that. I kissed him again, lightly.

"I know."


End file.
